What Would You Give?
by Too Lazy
Summary: Based loosely on the Rumpelstiltskin tale. What would you give to keep the ones you love alive? Inuyasha and Sesshomaru are willing to pay any price for their mate's lives or so they thought. Sesshomaru & Kagome, Inuyasha & Sango.
1. Chapter One: It Could Happen

**What Would You Give?**

**Based loosely on the Rumpelstiltskin tale; A 100 years is a blink of an eye for a demon, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru are intent on keep their mates alive and well no matter what the cost. Kag/Sess Inu/San**

**Hello this is my first try at an Inuyasha story and well please don't hurt me if I screw up too bad. A few notes to begin: One is they are already together in this story, to write one of how they fell in love would be way to long and I don't think I could keep Sesshomaru in character for that long. **

**Next is yes Sesshomaru is already out of character and I say sorry…he is very hard to write and I am afraid I am not one of the better writers who can keep him in character at all times…**

**Three is yes Miroku left…sorry I am not a huge horny monk fan…unless it is Master Roshi from DBZ**

**Last is please no flames…(begs you guys on knees) Oh and this is rated M for Inuyasha mouth and some citrus content later on...**

* * *

**Chapter One: Picnics are so much Fun

* * *

**

A few years ago had anyone even entertained the thought that Sesshomaru the Taiyoukai of the West would have taken in a human ward and a kitsune demon, be mated to a human miko from the future and be on _tolerable_ terms with his hanyou brother Inuyasha, the Taiyoukai would have made that person die horribly and painfully slow…but that person would have been right.

Sesshomaru was in his study, his molten gold eyes scanning from his window over part of his vast kingdom, it was spring, and the last of the snow fall had finally thawed revealing lush green valleys and flowers that were wondrous to behold.

'_To think we almost lost this.'_ The Taiyoukai thought dryly.

It was true Naraku had nearly poisoned all of the land, making nothing habitable except for those who would pledged his allegiance to him. However Naraku's plan did force the Taiyoukai to find outside assistance once Rin became deathly ill from the poison she had to inhale daily on her travels with him.

'_Had it not been for that I might have never spared a thought for Kagome.'_ Sesshomaru turned from the window and his musings and sat at his desk trying to find the determination to go over the many documents that had piled over his desk within the last week.

As the fates would have it work was not in his destiny for the moment. His ward Rin and the Fox kit Shippou came bouncing in and Rin immediately attached herself to his silk clad leg.

"Lord Sesshomaru hurry or we're going to be late." Rin let go of his leg and went to stand by Shippou who was eating a honey treat.

"What exactly would we be late for Rin?" Sesshomaru stoically questioned and he received an answer from his mate who had just walked in.

"Why for a picnic with Sango and Inuyasha!" Kagome smiled brightly however Sesshomaru let out an uncharacteristic sigh at the mention of his half brother.

"I have work to attend and I must _regretfully_ decline." Sesshomaru made himself look busy by reading the documents in his clawed hands; Kagome knew Sesshomaru was anything but regretful.

"Shippou, Rin could you go make sure Jakan-san and An-Un are ready to go." Kagome instructed at she ruffled both the children's hair.

"Okay mama." Rin and Shippou said in unison and took off to complete the request.

"Please come with us it won't be the same if you're not there." Kagome approached Sesshomaru and sat next to him.

Sesshomaru did not look at her but tried desperately to ignore her nearness. She then started to gather the papers on the desk and fix them in a neat pile and then grabbed the documents that he held and placed them in the same pile she had made.

"Is it your intention to drag me to this function or just annoy me Kagome?" Sesshomaru asked looking at her from the corner of his eyes. Kagome got up and sat in his lap.

Normally the stoic lord would have never allowed this but in the privacy of his palace he would allow only Kagome whatever she wanted. His fluffy tail wrapped securely around her small waste holding her against him.

"Well I just thought it would be nice to have a family gathering before I leave." Kagome said her head resting against his well muscled chest. His tail tightened slightly around her and Kagome sighed in contentment.

'_At least I know he'll miss me._' Kagome thought before Sesshomaru tilted her chin up with one clawed finger and kissed her. It was soft and yet so deeply passionate and it promised many things in the future. The kiss ended as quickly as it had begun and Sesshomaru looked into Kagome's sapphire eyes and knew he would not deny her request to go and see her friends.

He stood up and gently placed Kagome down and Kagome smiled as they went to meet the children and a depressed little Jaken.

* * *

The day got warmer as the Taiyoukai and his _family_ for lack of a better term traveled to the village of Kaede in the Musashi domain. By the time they arrived it was around noon and Inuyasha was cranky because he was so hungry.

"'Bout damn time you showed up we've been waiting here forever…" InuYasha never finished his sentence as hirakotsu impacted his head.

"Damn it wench why'd the hell you go and do that for?" Inuyasha yelled holding his throbbing head.

"First off I am your mate not your wench and second you need to be a little nicer." Sango yelled back and Inuyasha just issued a 'feh' and sat against a nearby tree.

Kagome smiled at her to best friends and eternally giggled at the tender scene. It was quite a shock when Miroku had decided to leave them once Naraku was defeated; it had left Sango devastated to say the least but Sango was never one to let sadness rule her for long. At first it was odd seeing Inuyasha being so nice to Sango, but then Kagome had figure that maybe with the death of Kikyou and the sudden leaving of Miroku they found that they had something else in common besides fighting.

Kagome had been mated to Sesshomaru for about a year when Inuyasha and Sango declared they were mates. When Kagome had commented on it to Sesshomaru he merely shrugged and answered in a board tone, "It was bound to happen sooner or later."

"Don't worry Sango I'm use to his fits." Kagome said returning from her memory and helped Shippou and Rin from the back of An-Un. Jaken was standing by his lord's side waiting for another fight to break out between the Inu-Brothers it was always a sure thing when the two were in close proximity of each other.

Kagome unloaded a basket from An-Un's back and preceded with the help of Sango and the children to layout a picnic.

"Jaken tend to An-Un then keep watch over the children they are in your charge." Sesshomaru ordered as he began to walk towards his little brother.

"Yes milord." Jaken answered meekly and went to do his master's bidding although in his mind he was grumbling about the entire predicament that had befallen him.

Inuyasha immediately stood up, his hand on the hilt Tetsusaiga ready for any attack his older brother made, what happened next however caught the hanyou off guard.

"We have to talk." The Taiyoukai commanded he turned and started to walk away from Inuyasha giving him no time to protest only time to follow him away from the group.

They walked in silence into a clearing and Sesshomaru turned finally to face his brother, he only stared at Inuyasha for a moment before speaking.

"You do realize what will happen in forty to sixty years time do you not?" With the look of confusion etched on Inuyasha's face knew the answer to his question was no. "I suppose it was too much to believe you would have enough brains to think that far ahead." Sesshomaru said mockingly and Inuyasha growled.

"Hey you were the one who wanted to talk so don't be insultin' me when it was you who instigated this conversation!" Inuyasha practically barked, but the real reason he was so upset was that he could smell the ramen noodles being cooked and he was worried about Shippou eating them before he returned.

Sesshomaru ignored Inuyasha's outburst and continued to talk as if his little brother had never said anything.

"They will die." Sesshomaru stated and it took only a second for Inuyasha to figure out who his older brother meant. His sensitive ears could hear the laughter of the group he had learned to call family over the years.

"In all honesty I think that is the reason our father choose to go into battle wounded as he did, he rather have died first then to live and see his mate die slowly before him." Sesshomaru said no emotion in his voice as he mentioned their father his golden eyes distant. Inuyasha's ears dropped a little against his skull.

"So what does the great Sesshomaru suggest we do about it?" Inuyasha said; if one thing Sesshomaru noticed about his brother is that he always fell back on insults when things began to get to serious for his liking.

"When my mate returns to her time and Myoga arrives with the information I need, you and I will be going on a journey." Sesshomaru did not sound cruel or arrogant to Inuyasha he sounded almost sincere.

"Why take me along?" Inuyasha questioned, he may have been on speaking terms with his older brother but he was still weary of him.

"I rather not have to kill you when you go insane with the loss of Sango besides my mate seems to find you worth having around." Sesshomaru scoffed, and the left with out another word. Inuyasha knew that was his brother's way of saying he cared about Kagome's feeling more than he cared to admit.

When Inuyasha retuned to the group the ramen was all gone. Inuyasha bonked Shippou on the head for eating it all, Sango hit him on the head for hitting Shippou, Kagome yelled and Inuyasha blamed Sesshomaru for him missing a meal casing another famous Inu-brother fight to break out.

* * *

"Can't you just once not try and kill him when you see him?" Kagome asked as she and Sesshomaru walked to the Bone-eater's well together. She was now dressed in her usual attire and white and green. Sesshomaru hated when she wore that outfit…unless they were alone.

"…". Was all Kagome got in response to her question. Kagome took hold of Sesshomaru's hand and feeling a bit childish began to swing their arms back and forth as they walked. Sesshomaru said nothing.

When they reached the well Kagome lets go of his hand and sits on the lip on the well, her long slim legs dangling into the darkness.

Sesshomaru never feared anything in his long life, until he met Kagome. His one fear that he now harbored within the darkest part of his mind was that one day Kagome might leave and the well would close, never allowing her to come back to him and he knew he could not survive having her away from him.

Kagome was about to jump in when she felt Sesshomaru's hand on her wrist and stalled her decent. She looked up at him and was surprised when he learned in and kissed her, she responded to his kiss with equal passion and they only stopped when Kagome needed to breathe. Sesshomaru then nuzzled his mark on her neck, it had long ago healed but it was something that signified she was mated to and any other demon to go near her would suffer greatly. Letting her go he stood away from the well and nodded his goodbye.

Kagome smiled at her mate, "Don't worry I'll come back." With that she jumped and a light blue light engulfed her and she was gone. Sesshomaru knew not to doubt her words and went to meet his brother.

* * *

The Inu- brothers had left the children in the care of Sango and left An-Un and Jaken to keep watch over them. Inuyasha and Jaken were less then happy about that.

"Dumb toad he keeps running his slimy mouth off and Sango will kick his ass nine ways to hell." Inuyasha muttered as he paced back and forth, "Damn it when is he supposed to be here?"

"If he values he insignificant life he'll be hear in the next hour." Sesshomaru said as he stood watching his brother. Inuyasha issued a 'feh' and continued to pace.

Suddenly Inuyasha felt a prick on his cheek and slapped the irritated spot. As expected, Myoga floated into the palm of Inuyasha's hand. "Damn where the hell have you been?" Inuyasha shouted. Myoga just popped back to his normal size and greeted his lords.

"Nice to see you again master Inuyasha and you as well Lord Sesshomaru." Myoga bowed in Sesshomaru's direction.

"Enough of the chit-chat tell us what you found out." Inuyasha ordered; Myoga decided to skip the rude comments for once and do what Inuyasha wanted.

"Well as Lord Sesshomaru knows there is nothing which can stop a human from aging." Myoga paused for dramatic effect before continuing, "However there is _something_," He stressed the word something for a reason, "That can grant any wish you seek how ever getting to it and getting it to grant what you want is the hard part."

Sesshomaru finally spoke.

"What and where is this creature?" He commanded an answer and Myoga gave all the information he found out.

"As for what this creature is I cannot say for sure but what it takes the shape of whatever it wants however it does like to take the shape of a women most lore suggest, as to where it lives lore says in the deep caves of the north hidden and trapped anyone who has gone in search of this creature never returns my lord." Myoga explained. Inuyasha was less than pleased

"You mean that is all you found out."

"Well what did you expect trying to find spells of this nature is very hard work!" Myoga defended himself.

"Myoga I wish for you to return to the palace I leave everything in your care, if my kingdom is not the way I left it your life is forfeit." Myoga turned deathly pale but nodded and began to hop away from the Inu-brothers to do one of his lords bidding thinking how ungrateful both of them were.

Sesshomaru began to walk away and Inuyasha yelled after him, "Hey where do you think your going?"

"I know where this creature lives." Sesshomaru stated and Inuyasha followed.


	2. Chapter Two: How you have Grown

**What Would You Give?**

**Based loosely on the Rumpelstiltskin tale; A 100 years is a blink of an eye for a demon, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru are intent on keep their mates alive and well no matter what the cost. Kag/Sess Inu/San**

**Chapter Two: How you have grown**

* * *

"_Aren't you the cutest little thing?" The voice was that of bells, soft, sweet and soothing. _

"_I swear you might become a beautiful demon one of great skill and power." The voice continued as the six year old heir to the western lands sat near a river crying._

_His mother had just passed in to the next life and he Sesshomaru who had loved his mother was devastated. So much in fact seeing his father treat his mother's death as a chore had ran off. It had been about a week and now tired, hungry and all alone Sesshomaru did not mind this beautiful women stroking his slivery mane and giving him words of praise. _

_Slipping her long nimble fingers under his chin she forced the young western prince to look at her, tears fell from his golden eyes and the women gently rubbed them away using her thumb. She the traced his crescent mark on his forehead and smiled. _

"_There, there what ever could make a strong young demon like you cry?" She asked she picked him up and Sesshomaru who was to sleepy to fight her off let her. She started to walk. _

"_My mother…she…she is dead." More tears came as he closed his eyes. _

_The women uttered a single word, "Sleep" and Sesshomaru did just that._

_Sesshomaru had no idea how long he had been asleep but when he woke up he wished to the gods he had not. The stench of the cave assaulted him and he had to fight not to gag. _

_The dim lighting from the torches illuminated the place enough for him to see. The cave he was in was covered in blood and bones from all types of demons and humans, a huge cauldron was set in the middle of the cave where above it was a cage suspended by a thick chain, inside were the skeleton remains of human children. Sesshomaru noticed he was sitting on a stone slab piled with the furs and skins of demons and humans and next to him sat the woman with a cynical smile on her face. _

"_Tell me young prince what would you give if I gave you back your mother?" She asked her long golden hair falling to the side as she tilted her face, her red eyes cold and calculating. _

* * *

"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha yelled from his perch on a high tree. To the hanyou it felt like they had been walking in circles for days on end and he was getting tired of it. "Where the hell are we?"

Sesshomaru did not answer instead continued to follow along the river and not look back. Inuyasha made a small growl but jumped down from his perch and followed behind.

"This is a load of crap." Inuyasha mumbled but loud enough for Sesshomaru to hear.

They continued to walk in silence and the occasional insult and order thrown to break up the monotony. Then suddenly Sesshomaru took a graceful leap over to the other side of the masses river and took a delicate sniff of the air.

"This way." Sesshomaru said and Inuyasha nodded taking in the sent of the air and finding it to be stale old blood.

"Are you sure this thing can help?" Inuyasha asked covering his sensitive nose with his hand to lessen the stench as they walked on through the thickening forest.

Sesshomaru stopped his even pace and turned to his younger brother with a look that was not cold just empty. "I sincerely hope so." He turned toward the smell and continued his even pace as if he had never stopped.

* * *

Twenty minutes later the two Inu-brothers stood outside a cliff wall. There was no opening but the stench that they had followed since the river was pungent and Sesshomaru knew there was a way in the cliff.

"Well if there aren't no ways in then I'll make one!" Inuyasha said unsheathing the Tetsusaiga and getting into a fighting stance when Sesshomaru stepped in front of his brother.

"Hey what the hell you doing?" the Hanyou yelled thinking his brother had gone mad but Sesshomaru just pointed to a large tree behind Inuyasha where a dark smoke almost like that Naraku used to make hovered in the tree.

"What the hell is that?" The Hanyou questioned now turned around and standing next to his brother and his grip on Tetsusaiga not at all relaxed.

"It's what we have been looking for." Sesshomaru answered stoically his honey gold eyes never leaving the dark purple smoke.

"My, my have you grown Prince Sesshomaru or should I be calling you Taiyoukai of the west now?" a childlike voice asked from the smoke and it slithered from the branches of the dead tree to ten feet away from the brothers and circled around a bolder before the smoke began to take form.

The smoke had change to a female child with long blue hair and elf like ears and an unearthly color of green eyes, the child smiled showing her fangs of pearl white as she sat on the bolder. Her kimono was white with black flowers and swans floating around the hem and shoulders, she was totally innocent looking that Inuyasha was not sure Sesshomaru was thinking clearly.

After a few moments of silence the child spoke again, "Still not the huge talker I see." The creature stood up and skipped over to the brothers but stopped short of being to close to the Tetsusaiga.

"You come asking for my help again ne?" The creature asked going around the brothers and straight into the cliff wall which melted away at her approach reviling the entrance to the cave, she turned to the brothers. "You coming or not?" she continued to skip not wanting for an answer but she did not need one as the brothers began to follow.

* * *

The smell of the cave almost made Inuyasha vomit but he did not want to seem any weaker to his older brother so he held the bile back although he was pretty sure Sesshomaru was doing no better then him.

The cave was just how it was when Sesshomaru was brought as a child only more bones and several rotting carcasses of demons littered the place. The child hopped on the stone slab and sat down a smile on her face as she looked the two brothers over in the dim lighting.

"You are mated now." The creature stated her tone flat and board although she kept smiling. "Your mates however are human; I know the smell anywhere, A bit low for you Taiyoukai."

"Enough of your insolence, you know why I have come here can you do what I will require of you or not!" the Taiyoukai said his tone was of complete impatience. Inuyasha ears went against his skull he could tell Sesshomaru was beyond pissed.

"I can but like before what would you give? Nothing is for free Taiyoukai and what you gave me last time is not what I am interested in nor is it enough to keep both of your mates alive." The child turned into smoke and moved in a deformed cloud to a cauldron in the center of the cave and this time reformed as a young fox maiden a lot like Shippo only taller, full of grace and very odd coloring.

"Whatever it takes to keep my mate, ward, and brother's mate alive I will pay." Sesshomaru replied stoically and Inuyasha just nodded to the creature showing that the price required he was willing to pay as well.

"Are you sure of that Taiyoukai and Inuyasha?" the creature moved close to the brothers and turned the bottom half of her body to smoke and encircled the brothers; Inuyasha was about ready to attack when Sesshomaru held out his hand in a message to hold still.

The Taiyoukai merely nodded and the creature moved away from them back to the cauldron.

"Very well at least this time you should get your bargains worth." And with that the creature disappeared.

"What did she mean?" Inuyasha asked but Sesshomaru growled slightly in order to drop the subject, Inuyasha did and the left the cave to wait outside as the smell was too strong to hold out against for long.

* * *

Few things did Sesshomaru regret in his long life and one was ever making his first bargain with the creature in the cave but when he looked at his first meeting of the creature subjectively he could find no one to blame but himself. He let the memory pass and went back to waiting and listen to his young brother whine about the smell.

It was night fall when the creature reappeared this time as little boy dressed in a white kimono and deep red hair and red eyes and fangs. In his chubby little hands he held out three vials. The liquid inside was black as Indian ink and odorless Inuyasha spoke first.

"If you think I'm going to serve that to my mate you got another thing comin'!" Inuyasha shouted over to the young child but the child laughed and pulled a knife from his kimono sleeve and attacked Inuyasha cutting him on the cheek, and then vanished in smoke before reappearing in the dead tree.

The child let a few drops of Inuyasha's blood fall into the vial and the black liquid turn a soothing white.

"You little shit come back here!" Inuyasha growled holding his cheek, although as he pulled his hand away there was no blood.

"Big baby." The child scoffed in a voice that did not belong to an little boy but a man and then once again vanished and reappeared before the Taiyoukai, the creature bowed his head and with a tone of fringed respect spoke again, "My lord if you please." The creature held the vials up but only reached Sesshomaru at the waste as the child was no bigger then his ward Rin.

Sesshomaru with his talon cut his index finger and let three drops of his blood fall into each vial and then licked the cut in a manner that seems completely dignified. The creature then went back to the tree taking a seat at the base and sealed the vials.

"How come you get asked?" Inuyasha complained and his brother ignored him as he was giving his full predator attention to the creature.

The creature stood up and turned into an eagle demon and took to flight and hovered over the brothers smiling at them. Holding the three vials in (a now her) talon claws, the wind whipped around her long golden hair, she spoke in a soothing voice, the same voice that Sesshomaru first head at the river when he was a child.

"My lords you both have nothing I want at this time however when the time comes and at my choosing you _will_ repay your debt agreed?" The creature asked and both the brothers knew that once they agreed there would be no going back but for their mates they would risk what ever price to be paid.

They nodded their heads in union.

The creature smiled and tossed the vials to the brothers who caught them effortlessly.

"Till the next meeting my lords." The creature turned to some and evaporated a laughter filling the space around then silence.


End file.
